Preparing for winter 2022/23

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How is best to prepare for the next winter? I imagine energy prices will be huge, I can afford a bit of an increase but I'm worried it will reach my limit.

I'm trying to forward think and plan ahead. I've bought some hot water bottles (in the sales) to put away and I will try and get a good stock of cupboard type foods to ease the food shopping bills over the winter when the energy will be used more. Ideally I want to try and have less other outgoings in November, December and January to cover the increase in my energy bills for that time.

I may also start overpaying a little each month on my energy account, or into a savings account so I have a bit of a buffer.

Any other ideas please?

Thank you. I ordered some Amazon own brand ones. Anything to help keep the heat in. We’re in a rental and this window has no curtain rod.

Hope all ok @RosettaTheGardenFairy

How do you guys dry twigs you’ve collected from outside ?

Salmon, we dry kindling/twigs in an unused wheely bin or in the wood shed. We've also stored it in the green house.

I put them in old shop bought firewood bags in the garage. That's where I store our firewood. Get a buzz of of setting a fire in the wood burning stove using twigs I collected and dried from spring and summer or even last autumn. Windy weather is always good for stick collection and I make sure I've collected from the pavement rather than the soil - don't want to deny the ground getting recharged

Cool thank you both

Ours go into the garage. We also dry off logs in the aga.

The saplings I cut down from ex's garden are in the carrier bags I carried them home in. Or the bottom half in 5 foot chunks propped up in the garage. Haven't had chance to sort anything yet.

I had stacked a tonne of logs for DMIL in September. She has gone through all but the last row (it was 6 rows deep) so needs more this week. And that's despite also using a lot of coal! She has an open fire in the sitting room only lit at night, and a closed stove in the kitchen lit all day, with 2 others (DUncleIL open fire all day and DBIL open fire used at weekends) using the supply as well, and also using coal too.

Meanwhile, we have used 10 bags of logs here, particularly with the cold snap and over Christmas. But I have another 10 bags to use yet so hoping that will last us until spring. But I will restock fully before end March as carbon tax going on all household fuels on 1st April so wood prices will rise then too.